Europe
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Cheese Town in The Netherlands: Gouda
More Details: Cheese Town in The Netherlands: GoudaAs my trip to The Netherlands was taking shape, I was looking forward to visiting the town eponymous with cheese: Gouda. I had never stop to contemplate what this cheese town in The Netherlands could actually be like, much less look it up. Gouda’s name doesn’t sound like it reads Once in The Netherlands, I…
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An Attic Church in Amsterdam
More Details: An Attic Church in AmsterdamWhen The Netherlands left Catholicism after the Reformation, all Catholic churches became Protestant churches. While the Dutch were able to practice any religion, Catholics were not allowed to practice Catholicism in any public setting (let’s say, a loose definition of religious freedom was at play; they were allowed to be Catholic but only to practice…
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A Unique Spot in Verona: Piazza dei Signori
More Details: A Unique Spot in Verona: Piazza dei SignoriThe Piazza dei Signori (or, “Piazza of the Gentlemen”) is right next to the more famous (and impressive) Piazza delle Erbe in the heart of Verona, Italy. It likely earned its name as it is surrounded by important buildings or “palazzos”. It is not as old as the Piazza delle Erbe – and it is…
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It Is High Time to Explore Split!
More Details: It Is High Time to Explore Split!In between Venice, Italy and Dubrovnik, Croatia lie a number of islands and coastal towns that form Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. I have been fortunate to have visited Dubrovnik twice – as charming a town as I have ever seen. But, in a recent trip along the coast, I got to spend a brief day in…
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Dante, Dante, Where Are Thou? (As in Alighieri)
More Details: Dante, Dante, Where Are Thou? (As in Alighieri)Dante Alighieri‘s Divine Comedy is a masterpiece of allegory, sharing with us the growth of the main character (Dante himself) as he traverses hell, purgatory and heaven. It has inspired many through the centuries (many centuries) since it was written. Including The Masquerade at Excelsior Mill in Atlanta with its three epic levels of hell,…
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Rouen: Full of History in War and Art
More Details: Rouen: Full of History in War and ArtFrance has so many destinations to explore, it is hard to cover them all or explore them as in-depth as they deserve. Even after living in Paris for 6 months many years ago, I could not cover all the territory that I would have liked. One of the towns that I always wanted to visit…
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Hiking to the Best Views of the Dolomites: Lagazuoi
More Details: Hiking to the Best Views of the Dolomites: LagazuoiAfter spending a great night at Rifugio Kostner, who could be blamed for not wanting to leave such a cool spot? But, that is the trekking life, not staying in one spot. Destination: Lagazuoi So off we went to get to Lagazuoi, a mountain known as much for WW I history as for its beautiful…
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The Best of Venice – Get Lost in Its Neighborhoods
More Details: The Best of Venice – Get Lost in Its NeighborhoodsIn a prior post, I shared some images of Venice‘s majestic boulevard: its Grand Canal. From the modern pedestrian bridge near the train station to the iconic Rialto Bridge to St. Mark’s Square – and many palazzos in between, that post showcased Venice but now, the best of Venice! However, I enjoy Venice a lot…
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Venice’s Splendor Is Best Seen from Its Grand Canal
More Details: Venice’s Splendor Is Best Seen from Its Grand CanalVenice must be one of the most photographed cities in the world and the views from the Grand Canal, the wildly curvy main thoroughfare of the city, are likely the main object of such photos. In this “postcard” post, I will share Venice’s splendor from its great waterway. Many of the buildings along the way…
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Challenge in the Dolomites: Hiking the Rosengarten
More Details: Challenge in the Dolomites: Hiking the RosengartenMy first day of hiking presented a neat challenge in the Dolomites taking us from Carezza / Karersee to Rifugio Passo Principe (Grasleitenpasshütte). There we would spend the night after traversing the iconic Rosengarten Massif, near Bolzano, Italy. The massif contains several peaks with its highest elevation being at 9,849 ft (3,002 m). The trek…
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Christmas Time in Strasbourg – A Beautiful Sight
More Details: Christmas Time in Strasbourg – A Beautiful SightOne of Europe’s capitals is not the capital of a country. It is one of the capitals of a union that is not a country: the European Union. Strasbourg, currently sitting in France, is one of those capitals, along with Brussels. It sits sort of in the middle of France’s border with Germany, who formally…
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The Historic Jewish District of Prague
More Details: The Historic Jewish District of PraguePrague’s Jewish Quarter preserves the important history of the Jewish residents of Prague over the centuries. It is a unique place.